John 3:14-16 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

We have heard John 3:16 so often it has lost its tremendous power to fill us with awe. It no longer thrills us as it once did. This verse has so much power to make the message of the cross clear. We see it displayed, we recite it as an opening to the redemption story. But when was the last time we really looked at it, tore it apart and feasted on the true meaning.

We were given the greatest gift possible. The One Who created the universe and us, set aside His deity and came to dwell among us. He desired to help us to understand God the Father. He wanted us to have a deeper appreciation for the power of the Holy Spirit. Those that had the greatest knowledge of the scriptures were the ones that rejected the Son.

The gift of eternal life is a gift that we can share and it becomes more valuable. The more we share it with the lost sheep, the more it becomes part of our thoughts and hopes. We, as children of God, are commanded to speak the truth to those around us. This gift will not be forgotten quickly. It will not rust, break or get stolen. It is given freely but the benefits are eternal.

Normally when a child is born, gifts are given to the parents, but this Child gave us a gift instead. We are given the opportunity to spend eternity in the presence of the God of the universe. We won't need the sun because we will have the Son. We will spend eternity praising and worshiping with the angels.​As you sit together to celebrate Christ's birth, remember to thank Him for His gift to us. When you are out shopping and the cashier tells you, "Happy holiday", remind them that the word 'holiday' is really Holy Day. Remind them that this holiday is the celebration of the birth of your Savior. We are told if we are not ashamed to speak His name, He won't be ashamed to speak our name to His Father.